Retailer Katie Pryde joins the show to discuss the recent annual meeting for ComicsPRO and what’s happening at her comic shop in Portland, Oregon, Books with Pictures. Pryde discusses this moment in time, separating from the job, the realities of owning a comic shop, the ComicsPRO experience, the standouts of the event, how the perception of ComicsPRO has shifted, the vibes of the event, an upcoming Books with Pictures anniversary, how much the shop has changed, building a community, how things are going at the shop, what’s standing out in the shop, tastemaking, surprises in the shop, how varying hats affect each other, managing the current environment, and more.

You can find Pryde on Bluesky, Books with Pictures on its website and its newsletter, and Books with Pictures on Bluesky and Instagram.

You can download the episode directly here on Libsyn.

Big thanks to Deanna Chapman for editing this episode, as per usual.

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Thanks to the sponsor of this week’s podcast: Zoop! More campaigns and more big names are launching on Zoop! Now live are a gorgeous art book from DC mainstay Adriana Melo, as well as the complete digest edition of Skullkickers from Jim Zub and Edwin Huang, and launching this month is Stephane Roux’s “Cocktails & Curves.” There is also time to support AWA Studio’s Artists For LA, a benefit campaign to raise funds for those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. Contributors include Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Deodato, Denys Cowan and many more. Original art, signatures, and other items are available, with proceeds going to the California Fire Foundation Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund and the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund. Zoop would like to thank all the creators who have recently submitted projects, and urge all creators to submit your project to Zoop! Click the “Submit Your Project” link at Zoop.gg, as they are providing services to even more creators than ever before!

Thanks to the show’s other sponsor, Oni Press! From Oni Press comes the true story of the viral hoax so insane it could only be told as a comic book! From the mind of writer-comedian-actor-musician Dave Hill and breakout artist Artyom Topilin comes the SHOCKINGLY TRUE, TERRIFYINGLY HILARIOUS, AND ONLY MODESTLY EXAGGERATED tale of how one stand-up comedian forged a secret online identity . . . and accidentally started an international incident that almost wiped Gary, Indiana, off the map! Believe it or not, this story is true and at last it can be told in all of its unholy glory, only in the pages of Dark Regards #1 – the comic so extreme, there is human blood in it! (Seriously, one of the covers has human blood in the ink!) That’s gross …. but also awesome. Demand DARK REGARDS #1 from your local comic retailer by April 21st and look for it on shelves this May!

Oh, and thanks to the final sponsor of this episode. It’s Chip Zdarsky. Thanks Chip. (You should check out Zdarsky Comic News, his amazing print newsletter that has interviews, gags, games, and more. It’s available at comic shops everywhere for free, unless it isn’t, in which case you should tell your shop to order it so you can get one whenever a new one drops)

Also, big thanks to my patrons, including – but not limited to – Sion, T.S. Luther, Megan Marsden, Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast, Scott Carpenter, Gus, MKFreigeist, Saunter, Brian, Chris Robinson, David Byrne, Milton Lawson, Benjamin Wilkins, Chris Hacker, John NeSmith, Jon Auerbach, Dustin Weaver, Brandon Hayman, Aaden Hamann, Faith Erin Hicks, Ben Wroe, Cameron Brown, Jonathan Breen, Charlie Stickney, Tom Drennen, Jeremy Thomas Burke, Jared Schwab, Scott Dunn, Chip Mosher, Seth Pomeroy, James McEwan, Andrew Leamon, Christina Merkler, Scott Place, Travis Gibb, Darcy Van Poelgeest, Tom Evans, Reid Beaman, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Max Wood, Jeremy Lambert, Bryan, Nir Levie, Jason Hussa, Kieron Gillen, Jonathan Kent-Uritam, Henry Johnston, Dennis Hoffmann, Django Bohren, James Tynion IV, Chris Lankford, Jason Wood, Tom Peachey, Ben Damstedt, Ram V, Nick Walker, Patrick Coyle, Isaac Orin, Klaas Van de Ven, Submet Industries, Jack Mulqueen, Karl Kerschl, Robert Masella, Elsa Charretier, Luc Nakashoji, Dr. Luke, Scott Haselwood, CanadianByProxy, Bradley Roeder, Carl Choi, Brandon De Pillis, Patrick Brower, Declan Shalvey, Dan Gearino, Atom Freeman, Ben Wild, Brian Klein-Q, Liana Kangas, Nick Bennett, Susana Polo, Reed Hinckley-Barnes, Mario Tiambeng, Robert Wilson IV, Andrew Kurita, Stefan Hull, Phillip Maira, Chris Bachalo, Torunn Grønbekk, FuzBubbles, Christopher Ta, Transmitterdown, Walt’s Comics & Books, Akil Wilson, Alex Dimitropolous, Terry Dodson, Wesley Gift, Shawn Kirkham, Julio Anta, Brett A. Schmidt, Jason Goodmanson, Paul Reinwand, Vita Ayala, Akylle, Phillip Sevy, Al Ewing, David Kelley, Jason Nassi, Adam Bogert, Matthew Taylor, Nick Pitarra, Jacob Sareli, Ford Gilmore, David Baroldy, Nick Hall, Bjorn Basen, John Hendrick, Ian Maxfield, Cliff Chiang, Colin McMahon, Adam Highfill, Fiona Staples, Mark Abnett, Michael Shirley, Tom Barnett, Jim Demonakos, Norbert, Nick Lowe, James Kaplan, and Mission: Comics and Art in San Francisco. You’re all the best.

Have a question for Off Panel? You can reach David by email or Bluesky.

Header photo is from Hayden Sherman’s cover to Absolute Wonder Woman #1. Off Panel’s opening theme music is Vulfpeck’s “Outro,” used with permission from the band (and thanks from me for them doing so!), with the rest of the music being an original track by custom music agency Upright T-Rex Music, written and performed specifically for the podcast. A huge thanks to Ross and Cody from Upright T-Rex Music for putting the track together!